Inaction by City Officials Prompts Garbage Protest in St. Paul

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Some St. Paul residents upset with a heap of garbage languishing in a downtown area cleaned up the mess over the weekend and left the trash bags in front of City Hall.

City officials recently forced homeless residents to move out of the spot, and the group left behind discarded clothes, furniture and other debris.

The land is owned by the state Transportation Department, and the city had been hesitant to send in city workers to clean up the mess. State officials recently told the city they would solicit bids for the cleanup.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that fed-up residents took matters into their own hands on Sunday.

Leader Erich Mische said, "If City Hall won't come to the garbage, we'll bring the garbage to City Hall."